Assigkktob



L. 0. GREGG. CAR COUPUNG. APPLICATION FIL ED JUNE 17. 192(1- Patented D. 13

UNITED stares LOUIS D. GREGG, OF I-IACKENSACK, NEW

PATENT OFFIQE...

ERSEY, ASSIGNOB, TO THE GREGG COMPANY,

LIMITED, OF HAGKENSAOK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CAR-COUPLING.

Application filed June 1'7,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LOUIS D. Grimes, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hackensack, county of Bergen, State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Car-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to car-couplers of the link and pin type, which present a protruding coupling-link and carry a removable coupling-pin. WVhen two cars equipped with couplers of this type come together, there is liability of damage to either or both links, which puts the coupling out of commission. It has been proposed to avoid this trouble by providing a retractable link. But heretofore that expedient has required either an abnormally-long shank for receiving the retracted link, or an abnormally-wide shank, or other complicated structure, thus adding to the weight of the device and its cost.

The present invention overcomes the difficultly without increasing the weight or expense, by providing a simple and durable structure, which broadly comprises a chambered head having a rear opening that in clines rearwardly and outwardly, to permit the link to slide back and out of the way when not in use, in combination with a simple and dependable anchorage for said link, which receives the tension of the link when in service, and prevents its escape when moved out of the way. Another feature of the invention comprises the employment of a transversely arched or bent coupling-link, in codperation with a similarlyshaped outer-wall of the rear opening aforesaid. The invention further comprises the other features and combinations hereinafter set forth and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawing and the following description thereof, which disclose a preferred embodiment of the invention designed primarily for light cars such as used on sugar-plantations, where the light weight and small cost of the car- Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Dec, 13, 1921.

1920. Serial No. 389,578.

couplings are important considerations. But this same embodiment, as well as other embodiments of the invention, may be employed with other and heavier cars if desired.

In these drawings, Figure 1 shows in full lines a section taken.- on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2 through the forward portion of one of the new coupling-heads, the corresponding portion of the complementary member on the other car being indicated in dotted lines, and the inert position of the couplinglink being likewise indicated in dotted lines; and

Fig. 2 is a section of the same arrangement, taken on the line 2-2 of 1.

In these drawings, 1 represents said preferred form of the new forward portion (or head) of the box that carries the new conpling-link. Said head is preferably a unitary casting; and the shank or body thereof may be of the usual or any preferred construction, to be secured to the car in the usual. or any preferred manner. At l is indicated, in dotted lines, the corresponding portion of a similar coupler-head mounted upon the adjacent end of another car. Said head 1 incloses a chamber or socket that flares forward (as seen in 2), and has a free front openin 2, provided with a flange to constitute a builteraface, as shown. Said chamber has also a rear opening (as 3), the link-exit, that inclines rearwardly and outwardly, as defined by the outwardcurving contour of the inner face of its outer-wall 4: and by the diagonal inner face of its inner wall 5 (both walls cast integral with the head). Near the front of the box are the two transversely registering openings 6 and 7 (for a transverse couplingpin). In said walls 4: and 5 are the diagonally-registering holes (as 8 and 9 for a link-retaining bolt. And through the walls of the depending boss 10, that surrounds the last-named hole, is a lateral hole (as 11) for a bolt-securing pin or pivot.

12 is the preferred form of coupling-link. This is shown as an elongated loop, closed at both ends, and with its two sideanembers in substantially-longitudinal parallelism;

and as arching or conveXed in a transverse direction (as seen in Fig. 1). This coupling-link is of suitable size and length so that it can be freely moved longitudinally through the front and rear openings aforesaid, and can rest with stability upon said wall 4 when in the operative position (indicated by Fig. 1).

This coupling-link may be anchored se curely but movably within the box by any suitable means, such as a bolt 13 inserted through the loop of the link by means of said holes in walls 4 and 5. And said retaining-bolt or-anchorage 13 may itself be held securely in place by any suitable means, but preferably it is secured demountably, as by a securingrivet or pin 14, passed through a transverse hole in the lower end of said bolt, by means of said lateral hole through the depending boss 10.

While any desired form of coupling-pin may be provided the pin is preferablyin the form of a bolt 15. having an enlarged head portion 16 at one end and a cupshaped cap 17 fitted over the other end and secured thereto in any suitable manner as by the pin or rivet 18*. In assembling the pin 15 it is passed through the opening 7' then through the opening 6 and the cap 17 is then attached. The shoulders of the cap prevent withdrawal from the opening 6". The head portion 16 passes easily through the opening 7 but will not pass through the opening 6*, which has a smaller diameter. The pin after being set in place may there fore be moved longitudinally to permit cou pling and uncoupling, but may not be accidentally removed from the opening 6 so as to get lost.

For coupling together two cars equipped with the new couplers, the attendant withdraws the coupling-pin from the hole 7* of one of them, as from the right-hand memher 1, pushing forward (if necessary) the link 12 carried by the other member 1.

When the cars come together, the link which.

protrudes from one coupler-member enters the chamber of the other member (pushing the other link back, if it has not already been retracted) far enough to receive the coupling-pin (as 15), which the attendant has previously withdrawn and now passes through the link 12 and re-inserts in the hole 7*.

When the link of either member (as link 12 ofle'lfthand member 1) is protruded. its own coupling-pin may remain in place durmg the operation of coupling, or it may be removed, since, in service (after coupling), the strain or pull is transmitted between the anchor-bolt 13 of that same member and the coupling-pin 15 of the other member, and the .coupling pin of the first-named member is 'i'nertin this regard. The openings 6 and 7 are elongated laterally of the coupler head,

so as to permit lateral movement of an laterally as by the relative displacement of the couplingheads when the cars are on a curve.

To uncouple the cars, it is merely necessary to release the active coupling-link, 12, by sufficiently withdrawing the coupling-pin 15 of the other member, and then said link 12 can be pushed back if desired;

The coupler-heads may be attached to the cars at an angle such that the view shown in Fig. 1 represents a vertical section, an inverted vertical section, or a horizontal section. WVhen Fig. 1 is considered as a vertical section, Fig. 2 will represent a horizontal section", the coupling pin 15 will normally depend vertically from the opening 6 and the link 12 when moved back will drop downwardly.

When the couplerheads are inverted, F ig. 1 represents an inverted vertical section, Fig. 2 represents a horizontal section as seen from below, the opening 7 is now made smaller than the opening 6 the pin 15 is inserted from the bottom through said opening 6, so that it normally depends from the opening 7 and the link 12 when moved back rises from the hole 3.

In like manner when the view shown in Fig. 1 is considered as a horizontal section, Fig. 2 represents a vertical section. The pin 15 normally occupies a horizontal position resting against the lower portion of both openings, 6 and 7 and the link 12 when moved back projects outwardly from the hole 3.

One embodiment of the invention has thus been described in full detail, but solely by way of illustration; since the invention is not limited to the precise construction and arrangement of parts set forth, but may be embodied in various forms, with transposition or inversion or other modification of the parts, and some features of the invention may be used, to the exclusion of other features, without in any case departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is: r

1. In a link-and-pin car-coupling, the comibination comprising a head containing a chamber with a front opening and a downwardly-disposed rear opening and also two latter on being shifted rearwardly will projeet from said head and hang down snspended from said bolt.

2. In a link-and-pin car-coupling, the Combination comprising a head containing a chamber with a front opening and a rear opening and also two transverse registered openings that retain a coupling-pin for en.- gaging a coupling-member carried by an adjaoent car, a coupling-link in the form of a loop straddling said coupling-pin, and an anchor-bolt extending transversely of said rear opening and through said loop and located so near the rear of said opening that said loop on being shifted rearwardly Will project from said head and hang down suspended from said bolt.

LOUIS D. GREGG. 

